Monterey County Office of Education
The Monterey County Office of Education, along with a coalition of local community institutions in California, is proposing to establish a series of new and enhanced public computer centers across the county that will serve economically vulnerable populations, increase public computer access, and provide training in digital media production. According to Census Bureau data, only about 70 percent of adults in the Salinas River Valley region have a high school degree or its equivalent, and over half of the population of Monterey County speak a language other than English at home. These factors create a unique need for specialized economic development efforts, which can be greatly enhanced by improved access to and awareness of the benefits of broadband. To this end, the project proposes expanding the Office of Education’s Career Technology Education Center in Salinas, which provides high school students with 360 hours of training to receive a certificate in digital media production skills and the opportunity to obtain vocational placement or continue their training at Hartnell College. The project would also extend training to parents and other adult learners through the Center and via the mobile digital media classroom that would travel throughout the region. Hartnell College also plans to expand its access and training programs to its Alisal and King City satellite campuses.
